Another Realm

"Hello," I introduced myself and then asked,

"Is P home?"

"Oh dear, you come on in here, you're soaked," exclaimed a very large lady with a cherubic face. 

"Thank you," I answered, grateful to feel the warmth of her home.

"You sit right down here," she said. "My name is Mrs. B."

"P!" She yelled.

"Your friend is here! Bring a dry towel for her!"

I took off my jacket and shoes then sat shivering. I looked around the room and saw a young, chubby man who looked like my friend P but wasn't him at all. I said hello to him and to a young woman sitting beside him.

Hi.  You're looking a bit damp! My name is F and this is W.

P mentioned you were walking here. Too bad...we could've given you a lift."

"It's fine," I said. "Wasn't that far."

"Far enough to get you like that! Whazz up girl?" P said while tossing a towel at my head. 

I toweled my hair and said, "Hey P, how's it goin'?"

"Better than you I think," P said chuckling.

"P, go run a hot bath for your friend." Mrs. B said.

She looked at me, "you have a hot bath dear and while your doing that, I'll make you some soup. Something hot to eat will warm you. Off you go." Mrs B said smiling at me.

I was bewildered, for a second. I thought someone was playing a joke!  I was just so grateful to be out of the cold, I went with it.

P showed me the bathroom with the tub already filling.  The steam, the warmth and the clean water beckoned me. I put my feet in the water which sent warmth up my legs. Sitting warmed me even more. Such a lovely feeling is warmth measured in clean, heated water. All clear and all my own.

Leaning back I dunked my head under the water and came up feeling cleaner than I had in a while. I pursued the soap bar through the water eventually getting a good scrub in. I leaned back to go under once again for the rinse. Sitting up, I felt squeaky clean. The cleanest I'd felt in sometime. I leaned my head back against the rim of the bathtub and  thought of Mrs. B. Her kindness and her friendly family, lent credibility to my friend as being a nice guy.

"Knock, knock, knock," went the bathroom door. 

"Soups on young lady." Mrs. B said. I drained the tub and dried my self off. 

Sifting through my bag I pulled put a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt. After I dressed, I quickly combed my hair. Then I opened the bathroom door, poked my head out and looked both ways. No one there. I quietly walked into the kitchen and saw a place setting at the table and on it, a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup along with some bread and butter. Mrs B gestured for me to sit.

"Eat up while it's hot young lady. The soup will warm you right and proper!"

"Thank you so much Mrs. B, I really appreciate this." I said quickly devouring the soup. 

When I finished, I started to feel woozy, my bones felt like rubber. Then my eye lids drooped and I could not stay awake. Drooping over my bowl, I could feel Mrs. B's hands on my shoulder.

"Come with me young lady, time for bed."

I followed with no complaint into a spare room with a fold out bed ready for me to rest. I crawled between the sheets and curled into a ball.

I vaguely remember her covering me up and then...I was out.  Out like a light and then some. I woke several hours later.

My blankets and sheets were wet from the sweat pouring off of my body and into my hair. I was shivering with a fever coming off of me.

And then...nothing.